Rigid, hinge-lid cigarette packets are currently the most widely marketed, by being easy to make, easy and practical to use, and providing good mechanical protection of the cigarettes inside.
A rigid, hinge-lid cigarette packet normally comprises a cup-shaped container having an open end; and a cup-shaped lid hinged to the container along a hinge to rotate, with respect to the container, between an open position and a closed position respectively opening and closing the open end. A collar, folded into a U, is normally fitted inside the container, and projects partly outwards of the open end to engage a corresponding inner surface of the lid when the lid is in the closed position.
To further enhance rigid, hinged-lid cigarette packets, a particular mechanical connection between the collar and the lid has been proposed, whereby a clearly audible sound is produced when the lid is rotated about a hinge line, and in particular is closed by the user.
EP-0884247-A1, for example, describes a rigid, hinged-lid cigarette packet comprising a click-on connection between the front inner wall of the lid and the front outer wall of the collar. More specifically, the click-on connection comprises a tongue projecting from the front outer wall of the collar, and which, when the lid is closed, engages a seat formed in the front inner wall of the lid. When the lid is completely closed, engagement of the collar tongue inside the lid seat produces a clicking sound clearly audible by the user.
In rigid cigarette packets of the type described above, the tongue projecting from the front outer wall of the collar is definitely unsightly, and both the tongue on the collar and the seat on the lid make the packet more difficult and therefore more expensive to produce.